Fence-post.



J. R. FREEZE.

FENCE POST.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIS. I916.

1,202,98&

, Patented Oct. 31,1916.

fig]? do/maifiafi/fifieeze Inventor Attorney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHNATHAN R. FREEZE, 0F MIDDLETOWN, OHIO, ASSIGN'OIR. TO THE AMERICAN ROLL- ING MILL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

FENCE-POST.

Application filed May 15, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHNATHAN R. FREEZE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown, Butler county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a metallic fencepost in tubular form, produced by the transverse bending of a single sheet-metal blank to form the desired cross-section of post, the post being provided upon the exterior of its front with perforated sidewise extending flanges. Strand-wires of wire fencing may be secured to the front of the post by means of staples to be driven through the perforations and engaging the exterior sides of the post to deform the staples and hold them in place.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved fence-post: Fig. 2 a front elevation of the upper end of the post: Fig. 3 a plan of the post: and Fig. 4. a plan of one of the staples.

In the drawing: 1, indicates the general post, which is exemplified in the illustration as being of general triangular form, this post being formed by the appropriate transverse bending of a suitable blank sheet of metal: 2, the seam or joint at the front of the post: 3, flanges projecting sidewise of the seam: 4, pairs of perforations provided in the flanges 3 atthe sides of the seam, one perforation of a pair being at a higher level than the other perforation of the pair: 5, the rear wall of the post: 6, the side walls of the post: 7, a strand-wire, typical of a portion of wire fencing which is to be secured to the front of the post: and 8, staples straddling the strand-wires and driven into the perforations in the flanges of the post and deformed by engaging the outer surface of the side walls 6.

' While in Fig. 3 the post is illustrated as being of triangular section, it is only essential that the side walls of the post, to the rear of the flanges 3, have outer surfaces divergent. When the strand-wire or other Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 97,540.

member of a wire fence is placed against the front of the post, a staple may be inserted into a pair of the perforations of the flanges 3, the staple straddling the strand-wire or other member, and the driving of the staple bringing its prongs into contact with the outer divergent side walls of the post, thus deforming the staple to such extent that the staple cannot be withdrawn from the post, though, if occasion requires, a suitable tool may be employed in withdrawing the staple from the flanges by straightening the staple sufficiently to permit it to be withdrawn from the perforations in the flanges. Such withdrawn staples may be later straightened, if necessary, and reused. As the post may be employed in connection with wire fencing having strand-wires or other members in different numbers and at dif fernt distances apart, it is desirable that the pairs of perforations in the flanges at the front of the post be disposed at such frequent intervals that the staples may be applied at any desired points in the length of the post. The flanges 3 stiffen the post sidewise, that is to say, in the direction of the line of the fence, and the driving of the staples, whether the staples do or do not straddle the strand-wires or other fencemembers, tends to close and strengthen the post-at its seam.

A fence-post comprising, a sheet metal tube having a longitudinally extending open seam at its front, the forward portions of the side walls of the tube diverging rearwardly, perforated flanges disposed at each side of the seam and formed by extending outwardly the metal of the side walls of the tube, and staples engaging perforations in the flanges at the opposite sides of the seam and engaging against the outer surfaces of the divergent walls of the tube, combined substantially as set forth, whereby the staples may serve in tightening the seam and thereby stiffening the tube sidewise and also in retaining fence-wires against the flanges.

J OHNATHAN R. FREEZE.

Witnesses:

GEO. J oHNsoN, M. S. BELDEN.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916. 

